J Street Urges Obama to Seize the Moment

J Street, the Washington-based “Pro-Israel, Pro-Peace”
advocacy group, drew a large crowd to its annual conference
this year despite criticism over its controversial calls for
the Barack Obama administration not to veto a U.N. Security
Council resolution condemning Israeli settlement construction
in the West Bank.

In the end, the administration vetoed the resolution, but
the controversy appeared to have had no negative effect on
the organization’s turnout for the just-ended conference,
which had 2,400 participants—900 more than last year—and
over 500 students participating.

Over 50 members of Congress were in attendance, and U.S.
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg made a surprise
appearance to honor Kathleen Peratis, vice chair of the J
Street Education Fund and the recipient of the group’s
Tzedek V’Shalom award.

With pro-democracy revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya
dominating the headlines over the past week, uncertainty
about the shifting geopolitics in the region was a recurring
theme in the remarks delivered by J Street leadership,
panelists, and an Obama administration senior Middle East
adviser.

Jeremy Ben-Ami, J Street’s president, told attendees, “We
know in our hearts that it’s not just the status quo in the
Arab world that is bound to change, it is the status quo
between Israel and the Palestinian people that has to change
as well,” at the conference’s kickoff on Saturday night.

“And the events of recent weeks only convince us more deeply
that the time is now for a serious and sustained effort to
secure an agreement that provides for a democratic homeland
for the Jewish people living side by side in peace and
security with a democratic homeland for the Palestinian
people,” he continued.

Indeed the emphasis on taking immediate steps, with the
leadership of the United States, to bring about a two-state
solution to the Israeli-Palestinian is central to J Street’s
mission as Washington’s “political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans.”

J Street has gained attention for its willingness to press
harder than other pro-Israel organisations in Washington—
particularly the American Israel Public Affairs Committee
(AIPAC)—to pressure Israel to halt settlement construction
and for its efforts to create a political space for American
Jews who are increasingly critical of the Israeli
government’s occupation of the West Bank and its siege on
Gaza.

The organization’s founding and the appearance, for the
second year in a row, of a senior Obama administration
official at the conference has found a mixed reception from
other “pro-Israel” groups in Washington.

This year, senior White House Middle East adviser Dennis
Ross was dispatched to address the conference, leading the
right-wing Emergency Committee for Israel to call on Ross to
take a critical tone in his remarks to the J Street
audience.

“There are few moments when someone with your experience and
credibility is invited into the anti-Israel echo chamber and
provided an opportunity to dispel myths, combat falsehoods,
deliver much-needed moral clarity—and state clearly that
the United States stands with Israel,” said a Feb. 24 letter
from the ECI’s Executive Director Noah Pollak.

“I trust that you will seize this moment to explain why the
Jewish State is not just one of our closest allies, but a
country that fully deserves the admiration and moral support
of all Americans,” Pollak wrote.

Ross spoke on Sunday and delivered remarks which, while
avoiding the harsh criticisms that Pollak called on him to
make, fell short of the recurring call from J Street
panelists for the Obama administration to take a more
aggressive approach to bridging issues on which both the
Palestinian Authority and the Israeli government have been
unable to find common ground.

“We will continue to press both sides to engage seriously in
negotiations—the only forum and the only mechanism that
can resolve this historic conflict,” said Ross.

Ross deflected a question about the possibility for a new
U.S. initiative to kick-start the peace process and repeated
the administration’s position on Iran, stating, “While the
door will always remain open for diplomacy, we remain
determined to prevent Iran from acquiring the nuclear
weapons and we won’t be deflected from this goal.”

The panel following Ross’s address was critical of the White
House official’s position, leading New York Times columnist
Roger Cohen to quip after Ross had left the room, “[Ross]
sat in five administrations but couldn’t sit after the
speech for the debate,” and, “When I hear the word process,
I am dying inside, there is no process and there is no
peace.”

The conference concluded with a keynote address from Naomi
Chazan, president of the New Israel Fund and former deputy
speaker of the Knesset, who told the audience, “The
democratic wave spreading through the Middle East includes a
free Palestine as an integral part of what is going on. And
therefore, Israel as an occupying state cannot remain
democratic while it rules over another people. It is
antithetical to the winds of the time.”

Her speech repeated the calls heard throughout the three
days of panels and discussions for the Obama administration
to urgently assume greater leadership in resolving the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“Neither Israel nor Palestine can [make peace] alone.
Therefore, action requires that the U.S. and Europe and the
international community take steps as well. The present
administration in Washington must step forward now,” said
Chazan.

What is America going to do?Everything is falling apart.This is worse than Watergate and Iran-Contra combined.My oh my oh my.Five dollar gasoline,Saudi going down,it's just crazy.The attack of the zoombies has arrived.Can't say you weren't warned,you fucks.

walldizo

In order for the States to resume its role as a decent honest and balanced mediater,serious steps, must be expressed to that end.U. Western record in broakering ME peace process is so flawed to the extent that only Israel and its needs for grouth and security, was the main concern of the West.Palestinians and Arab interests were oftenly neglected or tied to Israel's security.So, now that Arab masses are taking charge of their destiny,why would we accept the same consumed and meaningless proposals?. The probable assumption that may garner some momentun in the Arab world for a meaningful effert towards peace, would be a world confference on Palestine.It appears that this would be the only axceptable solution fo the moment.

paulBass

for being such a mild group, not really advocating any radical changes in the status quo, its amazing to read the vitriol of the zionist directed at them on sites like ynet jpost and haarezt.
nothing scares zionist like a jew with morals

richard vajs

I always hope that those Jews who are willing to embrace the Palestinians as their brothers will take control of Israel. To that end, a single state of Palestine (or named Israel if you insist) is the only solution. All of the Russian gangsters and the Brooklyn-born racists ("settlers") would probably leave, which would help the new state immensely. It would be another pain in the butt for America because these troublemakers would surely wind up here, But America is going down anyway, so what's a few more free-loading jerks in the mix.

tomofsnj

Just what we need is more advice from AIPAC light AKA jstreet. I read that Israeli company is providing soldiers from africa for the Libyan government. Apparently there is no level to low for AIPAC light. It is interesting how they did not want the jews of africa into Israel but they have no problem providing them for killing others.

geo1671

About time to stop fooling the masses,Israel was created by USA as a private run/funded military base in the middle East to subvert (Undermine the power and authority of (an established system or institution) the Arabs and control the middle East oil.USA's billions of dollars handout to Israel has nothing to do with the Homeland4Jews.–It's all about Controling/making/pegging money from selling oil to EU and to far east by Israel being the hired thug :^(

paulBass

learn your history it was not the united states that created israel although it does now sustain it. and zionism for all its monumental blunders and arrogance had many branches and divisions before it became embodied in the state of israel of which many were hoping for a just and peaceful existence in the middle east or else where.
at the time there was no consideration of majority of arab states ruling themselves but the fear was that they would become part of the soviet block.
the soviets recognized the state of israel before the united states
and it was the united states that reigned in the english french israeli war on egypt.
don't like any of the actors but the truth has its importance.

geo1671

Paul–you should know by now that the UN was created by the USA for it's own use. Fact is United Nations is an American tool. In about 1947,after the WWII,there were about 40+ UN members.Most were war torn and need money. Uncle Scam bribed them to support the Israel state resolution abortion creation. But was never ratified.Any thoughts what Nation insisted be mandatory that USA ,UK, France,Russia have veto over any resolutions and for what future purpose?
While you are at it,maybe you can explain why UN has not ever proposed to send UN peace keepers into Israel :^(

paulBass

the UN did not create israel either they declared independence a day before the partition plan was to be implemented.
it was done specifically so that while israel would have official reconition it would not be bound by the resolution
there is so much misinformation floating around from all sides its really hard to make heads or tails of anything

as for the un i don't believe they had any force at the time and the first military action committed under the name of the un was korea which was only a ploy to put the korean army under the control of the united states.
so the reasson they did not send any force was becuase it would have been an army of one of its member states that being either united states or britian. the former not having an interest in sending troop, and the latter just finished removing its troops after a long occupation and 3 way civil war

andy

All I know is that the creation of Israel was a terrible mistake.

Jamal

Israel is the only “friend” that US and or EU have and ever will, I am not saying that.., but rather people uprising in Middle East and North African country are saying it loud and clear. If US is not willing to hear the people voice.., which it seams that they don’t.., then US hypocrisy and its dependent on that “friendship” is way above the limit in what is called “democracy” or democratic system.., although the phenomena never been explained by the US democratic party nor the EUs or Swedish social democracy, nor the principals in democracy been respected by any of these systems.., yet this is the last chance that US and or EU have to establish the peace by denying the Israel apartheid regime and its economic or political demand which been dominating the US and EU policies for years. This is the peoples voice.

andy

With a "friend" like Israel, America doesn't need enemies.

Nick

"friend" that commits war crimes and promotes barbarism due to ethernal greed for what it does not belong to them….
Good luck to US….

In the event the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza including refugees in bordering countries were to stage a pro-democracy uprising the same as to-day we witness in North Africa and Israelis were to slaughter the protesters (which will sure happen, as they will be dubbed 'terrorists'), then where would America stand ? Would they come to the aid of the pro-democracy campaigners? I very much doubt it.